Eli Lederman, a partner at Lencnzer Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP, says a recent Court of Appeal decision in Ontario adds to a growing trend that suggests trial judges may have greater freedom to determine whether parties are living up to their contractual obligations.

Justice Thomas McEwen found Cassels Brock owed contractual and fiduciary duties to some or all of GM dealers in the class. One of the lawyers representing GM dealers in the class action against law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP says the case represents “the conflicts issue in a perfect storm.”

Jeffrey Hewitt, GC of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, says ‘free, prior, and informed consent’ is the way to move business forward. Photo: Jennifer Brown

The general counsel for the Chippewas of Rama First Nation is calling on the legal leaders of Canadian companies, institutions, and law firms to think about how they can take action around recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation report and on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.

In the first of four videos from the general counsel roundtable, moderated by Jennifer Brown and sponsored by Langlois Kronström Desjardins, the participants discuss how they approach the relationship with external counsel.

WeirFoulds partner Nikiforos Iatrou and associate Graham Brown speak with Canadian Lawyer InHouse editor Jennifer Brown about the Competition Bureau's cracks down on bid-rigging in the construction industry. To read and answer all of the questions in this month's quiz, go to the digital edition here.

For our 10th annual InHouse Annual General Counsel Roundtable we went to the great city of Montreal where five experienced corporate counsel, who clearly love their work and are passionate about the role they play in enabling business, discussed at length the issues that consume their days and what makes for strong external law firm relationships.